FDA Embarks on Major Hiring Initiative for its Public Health
Mission

Agency will fill more
than 1,300 positions within the next several months

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 30, 2008-Biologists, chemists, medical
officers, mathematical statisticians and investigators are among
the experts in demand as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
begins a multi-year hiring initiative.

The FDA is hiring hundreds of individuals with science and
medical backgrounds to help meet the agency's responsibilities to
assure the safety and/or efficacy of human and veterinary drugs,
biological products, medical devices, food, cosmetics and products
that emit radiation.

"It takes a large pool of talented people for the FDA to protect
and promote the public health," said John Dyer, FDA's Deputy
Commissioner for Operations and Chief Operating Officer. "Each
month there is a delay in bringing critical staff on board impairs
the agency's ability to fulfill this mission."

In fiscal year 2008 alone, the FDA is looking to fill more than
600 new positions and to backfill over 700 others to implement the
FDA Amendments Act of 2007, the Food Protection Plan and the Import
Safety Action Plan. That's nearly triple the number of people hired
from 2005-2007.

The Office of Personnel Management has granted Direct-Hire
Authority to the FDA, an operating division of the Department of
Health and Human Services. OPM's actions reflect the
Administration's commitment to strengthening the agency
quickly.

Direct-Hire Authority is an appointing authority OPM can give to
federal agencies for filling vacancies when a critical hiring need
or severe shortage of candidates exists. It expedites hiring of
qualified candidates by eliminating certain rating and ranking
preferences. Qualified candidates could be on the job in as little
as three weeks.

The critical need occupations are medical officers, consumer
safety officers, chemists, nurse consultants, biologists,
microbiologists, health/regulatory/general health scientists,
mathematical statisticians, epidemiologists, pharmacologists,
pharmacists and veterinary medical officers. Many of these
positions are located in the Washington metropolitan area,
specifically Rockville, Silver Spring and College Park, Md., as
well as across the country in the FDA's five regions, 20 districts,
more than 179 resident posts, and the newly created FDA offices
overseas.

Positions will be available throughout the agency, including in
the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the Center for
Drug Evaluation and Research, the Center for Devices and
Radiological Health, the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, the
Center for Veterinary Medicine, the National Center for
Toxicological Research, the Office of the Commissioner and the
Office of Regulatory Affairs.

The FDA will be participating in and holding job fairs
throughout the country. To find a job fair near you, visit
www.fda.gov/jobs/jobfairs08.html
. For general information and to apply for one of the positions
listed above, submit your questions and electronic curriculum vitae
with a cover letter via email at JOINOURTEAM@FDA.GOV

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